9th Annual Salute to the Mardi Gras Indians

On Tuesday Feb 17th from 11 am to 2 pm there will be a special three hour show dedicated to the Mardi Gras Indians. Joining show host Tom Morgan, will be author, poet and former WWOZ show host, John Sinclair. The show will include rare late fifties recordings of the "Red, White and Blue," a taped interview with Big Chief Tootie Montana, Jelly Roll Morton's Library of Congress recordings with him talking about Indian culture at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. Stopping by will be Big Chief Juan of the Golden Comanches and David Montana of the Yellow Pochanotas. John Driver will also stop by to talk about the Mardi Gras Indian event his is producing for Mardi Gras afternoon in the Marigny.

Also included will be recordings made last year from the Mardi Gras Indian practice at Handa Wanda's and rare and new recordings from Tom and John's collection. This year we hope to have visits from Indian gangs during the show and much more. That's a very special Tuesday New Orleans Music Show on Feb. 17th. Tune in and learn more about the Mardi Gras Indians and their historical place in New Orleans Carnival.

This was one of the best shows I've had the privilege of being in the broadcast booth for. Having David Montana, Aldo Andrews, Juan Pardo, Quint Davis, John Sinclair (!) and of course Tom in the room was absolutely fantastic. Talk about a mountain of knowledge being dropped on the 'OZ nation...

"Ma Tit' Fille" was recorded for Buckwheat Zydeco's Island Records début on the day before the second weekend of Jazz Fest, 1987. The version in the video below was filmed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1989, with Lee Allen Zeno on bass; Dennis Taylor, sax; Melvin Veazie, guitar; Patrick Landry, rubboard; Herman "Rat" Brown, drums.

The 16th annual Wednesday at the Square in Lafayette Square lineup is out! This annual springtime concert series features local artists and food and drink vendors and, for the eager, marks the start of festival season.

A Friday treat for blues lovers: the late great Koko Taylor doing 6+ minutes of "Can't Let Go" live at the Woodlands in 1993. Per Lyle Lovett, who introduces the video, she's backed by the Alligator All-Stars.